The franchise began play in1968 as anexpansion team. Though their early years were mired in mediocrity, their fortunes changed in the 1970s after partneringDick Van Arsdale andAlvan Adams withPaul Westphal. The team reached the1976 NBA Finals, in what is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. However, after failing to capture a championship, the Suns would rebuild aroundWalter Davis for a majority of the 1980s, until the acquisition ofKevin Johnson in 1988.
Under Johnson, and after trading for perennialNBA All-StarCharles Barkley, and combined with the output ofTom Chambers andDan Majerle, the Suns reached the playoffs for a franchise-record thirteen consecutive appearances and remained a regular title contender throughout the 1990s, and reached the1993 NBA Finals. However, the team would again fail to win a championship, and entered into another period of mediocrity until the early 2000s.
In 2004, the Suns signed free agentSteve Nash (who had blossomed for theDallas Mavericks after being traded from Phoenix six years earlier), and returned into playoff contention. With Nash,Shawn Marion, andAmar'e Stoudemire, and under head coachMike D'Antoni, the Suns became renowned worldwide for their quick, dynamic offense, which led them to tie a franchise record in wins in the 2004–05 season. Two more top two Conference placements followed, but the Suns again failed to attain an NBA championship, and were forced into another rebuild.
The Suns own the NBA's fifth-bestall-time winning percentage, have the second highest winning percentage of any team to have never won anNBA championship, and have the mostNBA Finals appearances (three) without a championship.[9][10] 13 Hall of Famers have played for Phoenix, while two — Barkley and Nash — wonNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) while playing for the team. Additionally, their Gowdy Award Winning radio announcerAl McCoy is the longest-tenured broadcaster in NBA history.[11]
The franchise began play in1968 as anexpansion team. Though their early years were mired in mediocrity, their fortunes changed in the 1970s after partneringDick Van Arsdale andAlvan Adams withPaul Westphal. The team reached the1976 NBA Finals, in what is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. However, after failing to capture a championship, the Suns would rebuild aroundWalter Davis for a majority of the 1980s, until the acquisition ofKevin Johnson in 1988.
Under Johnson, and after trading for perennialNBA All-StarCharles Barkley, and combined with the output ofTom Chambers andDan Majerle, the Suns reached the playoffs for a franchise-record thirteen consecutive appearances and remained a regular title contender throughout the 1990s, and reached the1993 NBA Finals. However, the team would again fail to win a championship, and entered into another period of mediocrity until the early part of the 2000s.
In 2004, the Suns signed free agentSteve Nash (who had blossomed for theDallas Mavericks after being traded from Phoenix six years earlier), and returned into playoff contention. With Nash,Shawn Marion, andAmar'e Stoudemire, and under head coachMike D'Antoni, the Suns became renowned worldwide for their quick, dynamic offense, which led them to tie a franchise record in wins in the 2004–05 season. Two more top two Conference placements followed, but the Suns again failed to attain an NBA championship, and were forced into another rebuild.
The Suns own the NBA's fifth-bestall-time winning percentage, and have the second highest winning percentage of any team to have never won anNBA championship.[9][12] Eleven Hall of Famers have played for Phoenix, while two — Barkley and Nash — wonNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) while playing for the team. Additionally, their Hall of Fame radio announcerAl McCoy is the longest-tenured broadcaster in NBA history.[11]
The Suns were one of two franchises to join the NBA at the start of the 1968–69 season, alongside theMilwaukee Bucks fromMilwaukee. They were the firstmajor professional sports franchise in the Phoenix market and in the entire state of Arizona, and remained the only one for the better part of 20 years (aPhoenix Roadrunners team played in theWorld Hockey Association from 1974 to 1977) until theArizona Cardinals of theNational Football League relocated fromSt. Louis in 1988. The Suns played their first 24 seasons atArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, called the "Madhouse on McDowell", located slightly northwest of downtown Phoenix. The franchise was formed by an ownership group led byKarl Eller, owner of a public enterprise, the investor Donald Pitt, Don Diamond, Bhavik Darji, Marvin Meyer, andRichard L. Bloch. Other owners with a minority stake consisted of entertainers, such asAndy Williams,Bobbie Gentry andEd Ames.[13] There were many critics, including then-NBA commissionerJ. Walter Kennedy, who said that Phoenix was "too hot," "too small," and "too far away" to be considered a successful NBA market.[14] This was despite the fact that the Phoenix metropolitan area was growing rapidly, and the Suns would have built-in geographical foes in places like inSan Diego,Los Angeles,San Francisco, andSeattle.
After continual prodding by Bloch (who became president of the Phoenix Suns), in 1968 the NBA Board of Governors granted franchises to Phoenix and Milwaukee on January 22, 1968, with an entry fee of $2 million. The Suns nickname was among 28,000 entries that were formally chosen in a name-the-team contest sponsored byThe Arizona Republic, with the winner awarded $1,000 and season tickets for the inaugural season.[15][16] Suns was preferred over Scorpions, Rattlers, Thunderbirds, Wranglers, Mavericks, Tumbleweeds, Mustangs and Cougars. Stan Fabe, who owned a commercial printing plant in Tucson, designed the team's first iconic logo for a mere $200.[14]
In 1968, Jerry Colangelo became the Suns first general manager, at age 28
Jerry Colangelo, then a player scout, came over from theChicago Bulls,[17] a franchise formedtwo years earlier, as the Suns' first general manager at the age of 28, along withJohnny "Red" Kerr as head coach. Unlike the first-year success that Colangelo and Kerr had in Chicago, in which the Bulls finished with a first-year expansion record of 33 wins and a playoff berth (plus aCoach of the Year award for Kerr), Phoenix finished itsfirst year at 16–66, and finished 25 games out of the final playoff spot.
Both Goodrich and Van Arsdale were selected to theAll-Star Game in their first season with the Suns. Goodrich returned to his former team, the Lakers, after two seasons with the Suns, but Van Arsdale spent the rest of his playing days as a Sun and a one-time head coach for Phoenix.
The Suns' last-place finish that season led to a coin flip for the number-one overall pick for the1969 NBA draft with the expansion-mate Bucks. Milwaukee won the flip, and the rights to draftUCLA centerKareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor), while Phoenix settled on drafting centerNeal Walk fromFlorida.[18] The1969–70 season posted better results for the Suns, finishing 39–43, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. The next two seasons (1970–71 and1971–72), the Suns finished with 48- and 49-win seasons, but did not qualify for the playoffs in either year, and did not reach the playoffs again until 1976. The major draw for the franchise in this era was the dramatic play of Connie Hawkins.
This era was also marked by the arrival of longtime Sunsplay-by-play andNaismith Hall of Fame announcerAl McCoy, hired by Jerry Colangelo before the start of the1972–73 NBA season. Soon locally renowned as "the Voice of the Suns", his broadcasts weresimulcast on bothtelevision andradio from 1972 until 2003 when he became exclusive to the Suns Radio Network. He was still broadcasting Suns home games on radio as of the 2022–23 season, having called all threeNBA Finals appearances for the franchise (in1976,1993, and2021).
Colangelo called Al McCoy "the greatestsalesman for the game of basketball in our entire state" and said that "he had as much to do with the success of the Suns as any player, coach or manager".[19]
Phoenix had an inconsistent regular season, starting out at 14–9 (then the best start in team history), then went 4–18 during a stretch where the team sustained several injuries (includingDick Van Arsdale breaking his right arm in a February game). The Suns then went 24–13 in the final 37 games to finish 42–40, clinching their first playoff spot since 1970. The Suns faced theSeattle SuperSonics in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, winning the series four games to two, and beat the defending NBA championGolden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals, four games to three, to advance to their first NBA Finals.
Paul Westphal led the Suns to their first-ever NBA Finals in 1976
The Suns faced an experienced Celtics team, led by eventual Hall of FamersDave Cowens,John Havlicek andJo Jo White. Game five of the1976 NBA Finals took place atBoston Garden, where the Suns came back from a 22-point first-half deficit to force overtime. Havlicek made what was supposed to be a game-winning basket, but due to fans rushing the floor before time officially expired, officials put one second back on the clock with Phoenix having possession of the ball, but under their own basket. Instead of attempting a desperation heave, the Suns' Westphal intentionally called a timeout that they did not have, a technical foul, giving the Celtics a free throw, which Jo Jo White converted to put them up 112–110. However, this advanced the ball to half-court, and once the Suns had possession,Garfield Heard made a buzzer-beating turnaround jump shot to force a third overtime. The Suns' hard-fought battle was short-lived, as Boston's reserve playerGlenn McDonald scored six of his eight points in the third overtime to lead the Celtics to a 128–126 win. Boston eventually won the series in six games, clinching the championship at the Coliseum, defeating Phoenix in game six, 87–80.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Suns enjoyed several successful seasons including the 1981 Pacific Division title, making the playoffs eight consecutive seasons including an appearance at the 1984 Western Conference finals. Problems arose on and off the court in the mid-1980s. In 1987, theMaricopa County Attorney's Office indicted 13 people on drug-related charges, three of whom were active Suns' playersJames Edwards,Jay Humphries andGrant Gondrezick. These indictments were partially based on testimony from star playerWalter Davis, who was givenimmunity. No defendants ever went to trial: two of the players went into a prosecution diversion program, while another received probation. Nevertheless, the scandal, although now perceived in many respects to be awitch hunt[20] tarnished the reputation of the franchise both nationally and within the community. The scandal did provide an opening for general managerJerry Colangelo to lead a group that bought the team from its owners for $44 million at the start of the 1987–88 season, a record at that time. With a drug scandal and the loss of promising young centerNick Vanos, who was killed in the crash ofNorthwest Airlines Flight 255, the franchise was in turmoil both on and off the court.
Kevin Johnson was the Suns' point guard for 11 seasons
1988–1992: The Kevin Johnson/Tom Chambers/Dan Majerle era
The Suns' luck began to turn around in1988 with the acquisition ofKevin Johnson from theCleveland Cavaliers, along withMark West andTyrone Corbin, for All-Starpower forwardLarry Nance and Mike Sanders. This was the beginning of a franchise-record 13 consecutive playoff appearances. All-StarTom Chambers came over from theSeattle SuperSonics (the first unrestricted free agent in NBA history),1986 second-round draft pickJeff Hornacek continued to develop, and "Thunder"Dan Majerle was drafted with the 14th pick in the1988 draft.Kurt Rambis was added from theCharlotte Hornets in 1989, and the team upset theLos Angeles Lakers in five games during the playoffs that season, before falling to thePortland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference finals. In1990–91, the Suns went 55–27 but lost in the first round to theUtah Jazz, 3–1. In1991–92, the Suns went 53–29. Having sent four players to the All-Star Game in the previous two seasons (Chambers, Johnson, Hornacek, and Majerle), the Suns swept theSan Antonio Spurs in three games in the first round of the1992 NBA playoffs. The Suns then were defeated in five games to the Trail Blazers in the conference semifinals. The series was punctuated by a game four in which the Suns lost in double overtime 153–151 (the highest-scoring game in NBA playoff history to date). That game was the last Suns game ever played at theColiseum.
In 1992, the Suns moved into their new arena in downtown Phoenix, theAmerica West Arena. The arena is occasionally referred to as the "Purple Palace" due to its purple seats, one of the Suns' colors.[21] All-Star power forwardCharles Barkley was traded from thePhiladelphia 76ers for Jeff Hornacek,Andrew Lang, andTim Perry. Barkley went on to win theMVP award that1992–93 season.[22]
In addition to Barkley, the Suns added key players to their roster, includingDanny Ainge and drafteesArkansas centerOliver Miller and forwardRichard Dumas (who was actuallydrafted in 1991 but was suspended for his rookie year for violating the NBA drug policy).
Underrookie head coachPaul Westphal, a former Suns assistant and player with the 1976 Suns in the NBA Finals, the Suns won 62 games in1992–93, setting a franchise record. In the first round of the playoffs, they defeated the eighth-seeded Lakers, coming back from a 0–2 deficit in the five-game series. The Suns then eliminated the Spurs and SuperSonics, advancing to theNBA Finals for the second time in franchise history. They eventually lost to the Chicago Bulls, led by eventual Hall of FamersMichael Jordan andScottie Pippen. The series also included a triple-overtime game in game three, making this and their previous game five in the 1976 series the only triple-overtime games in the history of the NBA Finals.[23][24] Approximately 300,000 fans braved the 105° heat to celebrate the memorable season in the downtown streets of Phoenix after the Finals had ended.[25]
Charles Barkley won NBA MVP and led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993.
The Suns continued to be successful in the regular season, going 178–68 during the1992–93,1993–94, and1994–95 seasons. They continued to bolster their roster by adding players such asA.C. Green,Danny Manning,Wesley Person,Wayman Tisdale, andElliot Perry. Despite a Pacific Division title in 1995, the Suns were eliminated in consecutive Western Conference Semifinal rounds by theHouston Rockets, both series going a full seven games. Manning was rarely at full strength with the Suns, injuring hisACL in 1995 just before the All-Star break. In both years, the Suns led the series by two games at one point (2–0 in 1994, 3–1 in 1995) only to see the Rockets come back to win each series.
At the end of the1994–95 season, Phoenix general managerBryan Colangelo, the son of Jerry, initiated an eventually costly trade,[26] sending the All-Star Majerle and a first-round draft pick to theCleveland Cavaliers in exchange forJohn "Hot Rod" Williams. Majerle was a fan favorite in Phoenix and in the Suns' locker room.[26] The trade was made to address the Suns' need of a shot-blocking center but Majerle's presence was missed and Williams's production never met expectations due to injuries.[27]
The1995–96 season was a disappointing year for the Suns, despite draftingNBA All-Rookie First Team memberMichael Finley, who became unavailable for the playoffs due to injury. The Suns posted a 41–41 record and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by theSan Antonio Spurs. Westphal was fired midway through the season and replaced by Fitzsimmons, his third stint as head coach. The office unrest led to turmoil in Barkley's relationship with Jerry Colangelo, who both spurned each other publicly. This led to Barkley being traded to Houston forSam Cassell,Robert Horry,Mark Bryant, andChucky Brown. Three of the four players were not with the franchise one year later.
After the Barkley trade, the Suns began the1996–97 season 0–13, a franchise record for the worst start. During the 13-game losing streak, Fitzsimmons stepped down as the coach and was replaced by former player Danny Ainge.
After an on-the-court altercation between Ainge and Horry, Horry was traded to the Lakers for former Sun and NBA all-starCedric Ceballos. Cassell was later traded to Dallas for all-star guardJason Kidd. With a mostly small lineup, the Suns put together an 11-game win streak that put them inthe playoffs as the seventh seed, in a series that almost upset the favored Sonics. Despite the loss in the playoffs, the Suns became one of the few NBA teams to make the playoffs after starting the season 0–10 or worse,[28] and one of the few to make the playoffs after experiencing a 10-plus-game losing streak during the regular season.
With Kidd starting at point guard, Nash was traded to the Mavericks in June 1998 in exchange forMartin Müürsepp,Bubba Wells, the draft rights toPat Garrity, and a future first-round draft pick (later used to selectShawn Marion).
In the off-season prior to the 2000 NBA season, the Suns traded for perennial All-StarAnfernee "Penny" Hardaway, creating the tandem of Kidd and Hardaway called "Backcourt 2000".[29] However, the combination of Hardaway and Kidd was never fully realized as Hardaway missed several games during the middle of the1999–2000 season and Kidd broke his ankle going intothe playoffs just as Hardaway returned to the court. As the Suns entered the 2000 playoffs, they beat the higher-seeded San Antonio Spurs 3–1 in the best-of-five series. The Spurs were without their best player Tim Duncan throughout the whole series. However, even with the return of Kidd in the next round, the Suns fell to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in a 4–1 series.
The Suns continued to make the playoffs until the2001–02 season when they fell short for the first time in 14 years. That season marked the trade of Jason Kidd to theNew Jersey Nets forStephon Marbury. With the resultant high draft pick, the Suns were able to draftAmar'e Stoudemire.
The Suns drafted Amare Stoudemire in 2002; he would become a six-time All Star
The2002–03 campaign saw the emergence of Stoudemire, a graduate ofCypress Creek High School (Orlando, Florida). He became the first high school-drafted player to win theNBA Rookie of the Year for the 2002–03 season, during which the Suns posted a record of 44–38 and returned to the playoffs. Marbury had a successful individual season, making the All-NBA Third Team and being selected for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. The Suns were eliminated in the first round once again by the San Antonio Spurs; a six-game series with the eventual NBA champions.
In the2003–04 season, the Suns finished out of the playoffs with a 29–53 record. The Suns made a blockbuster mid-season trade sending Marbury and Hardaway to theNew York Knicks for Antonio McDyess and a future first round pick that was later dealt to Denver.
After Nash's return to Phoenix in 2004, they won 33 more games than they did the previous season.
The beginning of 2004 saw the departure of the face of Suns management since the team's inception, whenJerry Colangelo announced that the Phoenix Suns were to be sold to an investment group headed by San Diego–based business executive and Tucson nativeRobert Sarver for $401 million. The2004–05 season marked the Suns' return to the NBA's elite, finishing with the best record at 62–20, and tying a franchise record set by the 1992–93 team. They set a team record for greatest one-season improvement at 33 games.[30] During the off-season, the Suns signed unrestricted free agent All-Star point guardSteve Nash from Dallas, who had formerly played for the Suns at the beginning of his career. Nash went on to win theMVP award that season.Amar'e Stoudemire andShawn Marion were named All-Stars and first-year coachMike D'Antoni was namedNBA Coach of the Year.
In the2005 NBA playoffs, Phoenix was the first seed in the Western Conference. The Suns swept theMemphis Grizzlies, 4–0, and defeated the fourth-seededDallas Mavericks in the second round, 4–2, as Nash forced game six into overtime with a three-pointer in the closing seconds. In the Western Conference finals, the Suns played theSan Antonio Spurs, who won the series 4–1, ending Phoenix's season, partly due toJoe Johnson missing the first two games of the series. Johnson went on to start the remaining games where he averaged 40 minutes per game and 18.3 points per game. The Suns lost the first two at home, as well as the following game in San Antonio to fall behind 3–0 in the series, before winning game four at San Antonio 111–106. The team then lost game five at home 101–95 to be eliminated from the playoffs. Stoudemire averaged 37.0 points per game during the series against the Spurs, the highest ever by a player in the Western Conference finals.[31]
The2005–06 NBA season began with Stoudemire undergoingmicrofracture surgery in his knee on October 18, 2005, missing all but three games that season. Shooting guard Joe Johnson also demanded a sign-and-trade deal to theAtlanta Hawks, in which the Suns gotBoris Diaw and two future first-round picks. Other acquisitions includedRaja Bell andKurt Thomas. Despite the turnover in players, the Suns again won thePacific Division, going 54–28 and capturing the second seed in the Western Conference. Nash was awarded a second consecutiveNBA Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the second point-guard, afterMagic Johnson, to win the award in consecutive seasons. Also, Diaw was namedNBA Most Improved Player.
The Suns began the 2006 Western Conference Playoffs as favorites against theLos Angeles Lakers. After winning the first game in Phoenix, they found themselves trailing in the series 3–1 after impressive performances[clarification needed] by Lakers' shooting guardKobe Bryant. However, the Suns went on to win three straight games. With 7:33 left in the fifth game, Suns guard Raja Bell grabbed Bryant around the neck and threw him down as the Lakers' star drove to the basket. Bell earned a technical foul, his second of the game, and an automatic ejection. The Suns took game six in overtime, their first overtime win all season, despite 50 points from Bryant and Bell out serving a one-game suspension with last-second help from mid-season acquisitionTim Thomas. On their home court, the Suns won game seven 121–90, eliminating the Lakers for the first time since 1993. The Suns are 1 of 9 teams in NBA history to win a playoff series after being behind 3–1.[32]
A home game against the Sacramento Kings in the 2006–07 season
In the second round, the Suns faced theLos Angeles Clippers. The series was played closely, with both teams trading games on each other's courts. The series was 2–2 and the Suns were behind in game five before coming back and won in double overtime. After a game six loss, the Suns won the series in the seventh game on their home court atUS Airways Center, winning by a margin of 20 with an NBA record fifteen 3-point FGs on May 22, 2006.
They went on to play the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals as underdogs. The Suns took game one in Dallas by a single point and their May 30 victory in game four marked the most wins for the franchise in a Conference finals series since the 1993 season. The Suns lost games five and six by a combined 25 points and were eliminated from the series on June 3.
Under coach D'Antoni, the Suns popularized the fast break offense known as7 seconds or less, which was later published in abook written bySports Illustrated writerJack McCallum. Though criticized for a supposed lack of defense, the Suns specialized an efficient offense designed to quickly get off shots that made regrouping on defense difficult for the opposing team.[33]
Shawn Marion, considered a key component of the "7 seconds or less" offense, was traded in 2008 after being drafted by the team in 1999
The Suns entered the 2006–07 season aiming to win the first championship in franchise history. From November 20 to December 22, the Suns posted a 15-game win streak, followed almost immediately with a 17-game win streak from December 29 to January 28. On March 14, the 49–14 Suns met the 52–10 Dallas Mavericks in a match-up where both teams were fighting for the top seed in the Western conference and Nash was going for his third consecutive MVP award againstDirk Nowitzki. Though the Suns won the game in double overtime,[34] the Mavericks would finish with the West's top seed at 67–15, and Nowitzki would narrowly win the MVP award ahead of Nash.[35]
While the Mavericks were upset in the first round by the eight-seed Golden State Warriors, the 61–21 Suns defeated Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in five games in the opening round of the playoffs. This set up a rematch of the 2005 Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs. The series saw the Spurs defeat the Suns in six games, in what many called "the real finals" of the 2006–07 season.[36] The Spurs went on to win the championship that year.
On June 6, formerTNT TV analyst and NBA three-point specialist,Steve Kerr, was appointed Suns' general manager and president of basketball operations. Kerr was also a part of the Sarver-led investment group that purchased the franchise fromJerry Colangelo.[37][38] His first off-season signing was formerOrlando Magicsmall forwardGrant Hill on a one-year $1.8 million deal with a player option for a second season at $2 million. Hill, who was previously considered injury-prone, played in the majority of games over the next four seasons as a starter.
The Suns finished 55–27 on the season, two games behind the Lakers who won the division. In the opening round of the playoffs, the Suns lost to the Spurs in five games, the first time they did not advance past the first round in the D'Antoni-Nash era. Some have attributed this to the mid-season acquisition of aging former MVPShaquille O'Neal for four-time All Star Shawn Marion.[39][40] Though O'Neal was brought in as a physical presence to match with the likes of the Spurs'Tim Duncan, the move all but ended their fast-paced offense which had brought them to the cusp of a Finals appearance.[41]
On June 9, 2008,Terry Porter was named head coach of the Phoenix Suns, succeeding Mike D'Antoni. Porter was an assistant coach of theDetroit Pistons when he was let go after the Pistons were eliminated by theBoston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Eastern Conference finals. During the off-season, the Suns had difficulties signing free agents because of being over the luxury tax. They made attempts to sign a backup point guard,Tyronn Lue; however, he decided to sign with theBucks for more money. The Suns selectedRobin Lopez (15th overall pick out ofStanford) in the2008 NBA draft and acquiredGoran Dragić, who was originally picked by the rivalSan Antonio Spurs.
Alvin Gentry coached the Suns to a Western Conference finals appearance in 2010.
On February 16, 2009, the Suns fired Porter and he was succeeded byAlvin Gentry. The Suns were expected to make the transition back to the up-tempo style basketball nicknamed the "7 Seconds or Less" or "Run and Gun" style. On February 18, Gentry began his head coaching tenure with a 140–100 win over the Clippers at home. Six Suns players scored in double digits, led by Leandro Barbosa's 24 points. The Suns led by as much as 50 points during the game and were without their swingmanJason Richardson who was serving a one-game suspension. However, this offense cost them their defense, allowing over 107 points per game, 27th in the league. The Suns scored 140 in the next two games. On February 20, Amar'e Stoudemire underwent eye surgery and was out for eight weeks. They went 18–13 under Gentry in the last 31 games. At the end of the season, the Suns missed the playoffs with a 46–36 record.
During the 2009–10 season, the Suns played a far more balanced style of basketball and finished with a 54–28 record. The Suns advanced to the NBA's Western Conference finals, eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers in six games and the San Antonio Spurs in four games, including an explosive performance by Goran Dragić in game three against the Spurs, scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter. The Suns faced the Lakers in the Western Conference finals but lost in six games.
On June 15, 2010, Kerr resigned as general manager of the Suns and opted to return as an analyst for TNT effective June 30, 2010. In the wake of Kerr's decision to leave the club, senior vice president of basketball operationsDavid Griffin told managing partner Robert Sarver he did not want to be a candidate to replace Kerr and left when his contract expired on June 30. The last moves of both Steve Kerr and David Griffin were drafting playersGani Lawal andDwayne Collins with the second-round draft picks that they had in the2010 NBA draft.
The Suns attempted to re-signAmar'e Stoudemire in the 2010 free agency period with a five-year contract for around $95 million, with $71 million guaranteed, and the rest of his salary coming only if certain conditions were held, such as getting guaranteed 4th and 5th-season money if he remained healthy enough to meet those conditions. Stoudemire instead signed with theNew York Knicks for $100 million.
The Suns hired player agentLon Babby as president of basketball operations. The team then paid over $80 million to acquireHedo Türkoğlu,Josh Childress, andHakim Warrick to not only replace Stoudemire but also add bench depth. On August 5, 2010, the Suns hiredLance Blanks as general manager. On December 19, 2010, the Suns acquiredVince Carter,Mickaël Piétrus, andMarcin Gortat from theOrlando Magic, along with a low draft pick and cash considerations.[43] For this acquisition, the Suns tradedJason Richardson,Earl Clark, and the recently acquiredHedo Türkoğlu. On February 24, 2011, the Suns acquired point guardAaron Brooks, trading first round (lottery-protected) draft pick and point guard Goran Dragić to theHouston Rockets. The Suns ended the 2010–11 season with a losing record and missed the playoffs.
In the2011 NBA draft, the Suns used their 13th pick onMarkieff Morris, a 6' 10" power forward from theKansas Jayhawks. Markieff is the twin brother ofMarcus Morris, who played together for three years in Kansas. In the2012 NBA draft, the Suns used their 13th pick to selectKendall Marshall, a 6' 4" point guard from theNorth Carolina Tar Heels. Marshall was a prolific passer in his two seasons at North Carolina; setting theACC[44] and North Carolina[45] season assist records, along with winning theBob Cousy Award[46] in his sophomore season with the Tar Heels.
During the 2012 free agency period, the Suns tradedSteve Nash to theLos Angeles Lakers in exchange for first-round picks in 2013 and 2015, as well as second-round picks in 2013 and 2014. After the trade, the Suns then re-acquired point guardGoran Dragić from Houston, signedMinnesota Timberwolves forwardMichael Beasley, and claimed Houston forwardLuis Scola off amnesty waivers while also using the sameamnesty clause (as codified in the2011 collective bargaining agreement) to waiveJosh Childress. They also did a three-way trade with theNew Orleans Hornets and the Timberwolves by tradingRobin Lopez andHakim Warrick to the Hornets and a 2014 second-rounder to the Timberwolves in exchange forWesley Johnson, a top 14-protected future first-rounder and the rights toBrad Miller andJerome Dyson. The latter two players' rights were later waived and the Suns then signedJermaine O'Neal for one year. The Suns also signedP. J. Tucker based on his performance with the Suns' Summer League team. On September 20, it was announced thatChanning Frye haddilated cardiomyopathy and as a result, he missed the entire2012–13 season, although he sometimes made special appearances to do the pre-game show for local Suns games with Tom Leander andTom Chambers. On January 12, 2013, the Suns became the fourth-fastest NBA team to win 2,000 games with a 97–81 road victory against theChicago Bulls, which also marked the last victory for Alvin Gentry as head coach for the Suns. On January 18, 2013, the day after a loss that broke a 24-home-game winning streak against theMilwaukee Bucks, Gentry agreed to leave the Phoenix Suns organization.[47] Two days later, player development coachLindsey Hunter was named interim head coach role for the remainder of the season. A few days later, assistant head coachesDan Majerle andElston Turner had also resigned from their positions. On February 21, 2013, the Suns had traded their 2013 second-round pick to theHouston Rockets in exchange forMarcus Morris.[48] The next day, the Suns traded point guardSebastian Telfair to theToronto Raptors in exchange forIranian centerHamed Haddadi and a 2014 second-round pick. The Suns ended their first post-Steve Nash season with a 25–57 win–loss record, their second-worst record in franchise history behind only their inaugural season.
On April 22, 2013, it was announced that the Suns had fired general managerLance Blanks.[49] On May 7, 2013, former Celtics assistant general managerRyan McDonough was announced as the new general manager of the Suns.[50] On May 26, 2013, the Suns hiredJeff Hornacek as their head coach to replace interim head coachLindsey Hunter. The team also started the new season with new modified logos, replacing most of the purple on their logos with black, although purple would still be found on their jerseys.
In the2013 NBA draft on June 27, the Suns selectedUkrainian centerAlex Len fromMaryland with their 5th pick and power forwardAlex Oriakhi fromMissouri with their 57th pick. Although the Suns were expected to have a poor season, they began the season with a 19–11 record.Eric Bledsoe then went down against theLos Angeles Clippers with a torn meniscus and missed the following 33 games. The Suns went 17–16 during his absence led by Goran Dragić, keeping Phoenix in the playoff race with theMemphis Grizzlies andDallas Mavericks. At 47–32, while Dallas and Memphis were both 48–32, Phoenix lost against both teams before they defeated theSacramento Kings to finish the season 48–34. Dallas finished 49–33 and Memphis finished 50–32, resulting in Memphis finishing with the seventh seed, Dallas with the eighth, and Phoenix out of the playoffs.
During the2014 NBA draft, the Suns drafted sophomore forwardT. J. Warren fromNC State, Canadian freshman point guardTyler Ennis fromSyracuse, Serbian shooting guardBogdan Bogdanović, and senior center-power forwardAlec Brown fromWisconsin-Green Bay. After trying to obtain players likeLeBron James,Carmelo Anthony, andChris Bosh, and losing Channing Frye to theOrlando Magic, the Suns decided to sign-and-trade forSacramento Kings point guardIsaiah Thomas under a four-year contract worth $27 million in exchange forAlex Oriakhi, using a $7 million traded-player exception.[51] On September 24, 2014, the Suns andEric Bledsoe agreed on a five-year contract worth $70 million.[52] A couple of days after, on September 29, 2014, they extended bothMarkieff andMarcus Morris to four-year deals that combine to $52 million, with Markieff earning $32 million and Marcus getting the remaining $20 million.[53] Right before the trade deadline on February 19, 2015, the Suns made moves to change the roster. After demanding a trade due to lingering frustrations with the front office and direction of the team, Goran Dragić and his brother Zoran were traded by the Suns to theMiami Heat forDanny Granger and Miami's 2017 and 2021 first round picks in a three-team trade with theNew Orleans Pelicans.[54] Immediately after the trade, the Suns replaced Dragić by trading forMilwaukee Bucks guardBrandon Knight, sending Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee to Milwaukee and the Lakers' 2015 first round pick to thePhiladelphia 76ers.[55] Isaiah Thomas was then traded to theBoston Celtics forMarcus Thornton and theCleveland Cavaliers' 2016 first round pick.[56]
In the2015 NBA draft, the Suns draftedKentuckyshooting guardDevin Booker with the 13th pick. He was the youngest player drafted at the time by the Suns at 18-years-old[57] and debuted two days before his 19th birthday against theDallas Mavericks. On July 1, 2015, the Suns retained the rights of Brandon Knight under an offer similar to that of Eric Bledsoe's, and signedDallas MaverickscenterTyson Chandler to a four-year deal worth $52 million. A day later, the Suns traded Markieff's brotherMarcus Morris,Reggie Bullock, andDanny Granger to theDetroit Pistons in exchange for their 2020 second-round selection. However, star playerEric Bledsoe sustained a season-ending injury on December 26, 2015.
On February 1, 2016, the Suns relievedJeff Hornacek of his duties as head coach.[58] Former NBA playerEarl Watson took on interim head coaching duties. The Suns traded the disgruntledMarkieff Morris on February 19, 2016, to theWashington Wizards forKris Humphries,DeJuan Blair, and the Wizards' first-round pick in the2016 NBA draft. On March 14, 2016, the Suns were eliminated from playoff contention for a sixth straight season making it the longest drought in franchise history surpassing the five straight misses from the1970–71 NBA season to the1974–75 NBA season. However, rookieDevin Booker went from being a sixth-man off-the-bench player for Kentucky to future impact player after the injuries toEric Bledsoe andBrandon Knight. He earned the team's firstNBA All-Rookie Team honors sinceAmar'e Stoudemire back in 2003.[59] Earl Watson officially became the full-time head coach on April 19, 2016, with his new assistant coachesJay Triano, former Suns playerTyrone Corbin,Marlon Garnett, and Scott Duncan replacing most of the assistant coaches from the previous season. During the2016 NBA draft, the Suns drafted the 18-year-old Bosnian-born Croatian forward-centerDragan Bender,Washington power forwardMarquese Chriss, and Kentucky point guardTyler Ulis; Chriss was acquired by trading the Suns' 13th and 28th selections,Bogdan Bogdanovic, and the Pistons' 2020 second-round pick to theSacramento Kings. During the 2016 free agency period, the Suns regained former players and fan-favoritesJared Dudley andLeandro Barbosa under new deals.
While the Suns ended the 2016–17 season with only a slight improvement from their previous record despite the return ofEric Bledsoe,Devin Booker continued to improve in his second season with the team, leading the team in points scored at 22.1 per game.Marquese Chriss was also named to the All-Rookie Second Team that season. In the2017 NBA draft, the Suns dropped to the 4th pick in the draft and selectedJosh Jackson from theUniversity of Kansas. On October 22, 2017, head coach Earl Watson was fired after a 0–3 start that included two losses of 40+ point deficits, which led toJay Triano being promoted to interim head coach.[60] On November 7, Bledsoe was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange forGreg Monroe and a protected first- and second-round draft pick.[61] The Suns ended the season with the second-worst record in franchise history at 21–61. After the season concluded, the Suns let go of interim head coach Triano and hiredIgor Kokoškov as the team's new head coach. The Suns earned their first no. 1 pick in the2018 NBA draft lottery after ending the season with the league-worst record that year. With the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Phoenix selectedDeandre Ayton.[62][63] They would also trade up into the top 10 that year to takeMikal Bridges with the 10th pick from thePhiladelphia 76ers, a draft pick the Suns already had from theSteve Nash trade before trading the pick to the 76ers in theBrandon Knight trade. In the off-season, Devin Booker signed a 5-year $158 million contract extension with the Suns.
Before the start of the regular season and during preseason on October 8, 2018, ownerRobert Sarver decided to relieve Ryan McDonough from the general manager position,[64] and named vice president of basketball operationsJames Jones and assistant general manager Trevor Bukstein as the interim general managers. A highlight of the season was when a planned three-way trade with theWashington Wizards andMemphis Grizzlies fell apart through miscommunication of the players involved and being sent in the planned deal.[65]
The Suns would once again have another losing season as they missed the playoffs for the ninth straight season. At the end of the season, the Suns madeJames Jones the team's permanent general manager, with co-interim general manager Trevor Bukstein returning to his prior assistant general manager role.[66] When the season came to an end, the coaching staff, including head coachIgor Kokoškov, were fired on April 23, 2019.[67][68] FormerNew Orleans Hornets/Pelicans head coach andPhiladelphia 76ers assistant coachMonty Williams was hired as the team's new head coach on May 3,[69] and completed the rest of the new coaching staff on June 26.[70] Phoenix finished with a 19–63 record, the worst in the Western Conference. Ayton made the All-Rookie First Team. The Suns had the third odds in the lottery but landed the sixth pick.
The Suns played the Kings in their season opener on October 23, 2019, and won 124–95. On October 24, Ayton was suspended 25 games for failing a drug test. However, the Suns continued to play well, going 11–12 over their next 23 games.
On January 22, 2020,Larry Fitzgerald purchased a minority stake in the Suns, becoming the second active (at the time) NFL player with an NBA ownership share.[75]
On February 13, 2020, NBA CommissionerAdam Silver announced that Devin Booker had been named as a reserve in the2020 NBA All-Star Game,[76] marking the first time sinceSteve Nash in2012 that a Phoenix Suns player had been selected to the game.[77] This later selection came as a result of an injury to Portland'sDamian Lillard, who was unable to participate. Following thesuspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Suns were one of the 22 teams invited to theNBA Bubble to participate in the final 8 games of the regular season. They went undefeated in the bubble, finishing 8–0, but failed to qualify for the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. They finished the season with a record of 34–39.[78]
2020–2022: The arrival of Chris Paul and return to the playoffs
In the 2020 off-season, the Suns tradedKelly Oubre Jr.,Ricky Rubio,Jalen Lecque,Ty Jerome, and a future first-round draft pick for 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, and nine-time All-Defensive point guardChris Paul from theOklahoma City Thunder. Phoenix also received small forwardAbdel Nader. BothDevin Booker and Paul were named All-Star reserves for the2020–21 NBA season. The Suns went on to have a 51–21 record (2nd best in the entire NBA), clinching the second seed in the Western Conference while head coach Monty Williams was namedNBCA Coach of the Year. The Suns made the playoffs for the first time since2010. The Suns faced the defending championsLos Angeles Lakers in the first round, defeating them in six games to win their first playoff series since 2010.[79] The Suns then went on to sweep theDenver Nuggets, advancing the team to the Western Conference finals.[80] Prior to the Western Conference finals, Paul entered into the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols and missed the first two games of the series.[81] On June 30, 2021, the Suns won the conference finals in six games against theLos Angeles Clippers to advance to theNBA Finals for the first time since1993 after a 41-point performance by Paul.[82] The Suns won the first two games of the Finals but ultimately lost the series 4–2 to theMilwaukee Bucks, led by two-time regular season MVPGiannis Antetokounmpo, who would be eventually namedFinals MVP. Despite the loss, Booker set the NBA record for the most points scored by a player in his debut postseason.[83] Paul was awardedAll-NBA Second Team honors for his performance that season although he came up short in the finals.[84] He was also the first player to lose all four playoff series in which his team led 2–0.[85]
On July 29, 2021, the day of the2021 NBA draft, the Suns traded guardJevon Carter and the 29th pick to theBrooklyn Nets for guardLandry Shamet. In August, the Suns re-signed free agent centerFrank Kaminsky and also signed veteran centerJaVale McGee to a one-year deal.[86] Starting point guard Chris Paul was re-signed to a partially guaranteed four-year deal.[87]
After beginning the2021–22 season with a 1–3 record, the Suns rattled off a winning streak that was capped off on December 2 with a 114–103 victory over theDetroit Pistons, which gave the Suns their 18th consecutive win to best the team's previous record of 17 games set in the2006-07 season.[88] On February 3, 2022, starting guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul were selected to reserve spots for the2022 NBA All-Star Game.[89] On February 10, the Suns traded second-year big manJalen Smith and a second-round pick to theIndiana Pacers to reacquire wingTorrey Craig and acquired guardAaron Holiday from theWashington Wizards for cash considerations at the NBA trade deadline.[90] On March 10, the Suns became the first team that season to clinch a playoff berth after defeating theMiami Heat 111–90 on the road to claim their 53rd win.[91] On March 24, the Suns clinched the NBA's top overall record with a 140–130 victory over theDenver Nuggets.[92] In the 79th game of the season, the Suns set a new franchise record for wins with a 121–110 victory over theLos Angeles Lakers to tally their 63rd win on April 5, eliminating the Lakers from playoff contention in the process.[93] The Suns finished the regular season with a record of 64–18 with Devin Booker finishing 4th in MVP voting.[94] In the first round of the2022 NBA playoffs, the Suns would defeat theNew Orleans Pelicans in six games, before falling to theDallas Mavericks in seven games in the second round despite holding a 2–0 series lead.[95][96][97][98]
2022–present: Transition of ownership and the arrival of Kevin Durant
On September 13, 2022, the NBA fined ownerRobert Sarver $10 million and suspended him for one year after an independent investigation determined that he used the "N-word" multiple times in public, as well as conduct that included "unequal treatment of female employees; sex-related statements and conduct; and harsh treatment of employees that on occasion constituted bullying."[99][100] Both current and former NBA players, includingLeBron James, Suns playerChris Paul, andDraymond Green, said that the punishment was too lenient, with Green requesting for a league vote to terminate Sarver as a league owner.[101] On September 21, Sarver announced he would begin the process of selling both the Phoenix Suns and thePhoenix Mercury.[102] Sarver eventually accepted the sale of both teams toUnited Wholesale Mortgage's CEOMat Ishbia and his brotherJustin for a record-high $4 billion purchasing price on December 20, 2022, with the move being made official on February 7, 2023.[103][104] At 43 years old, Mat Ishbia became the 2nd youngest team owner in league history.[105]
During Ishbia's first few days of ownership, the Suns acquired 13-time All-Star and four-time scoring championKevin Durant, along with reacquiringT. J. Warren, from theBrooklyn Nets in exchange forMikal Bridges,Cameron Johnson,Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks, and a 2028 first-round pick swap.[106] Durant had previously requested a trade during the 2022 offseason, with Phoenix being listed as one of Durant's preferred landing spots.[107] Following the acquisition of Durant, the Suns' odds to win the NBA Finals surged from +1800 to +450 perBetMGM, trailing only theBoston Celtics at +350.[108]
In the first round of the2023 playoffs, the Suns would defeat theLos Angeles Clippers in five games.[109] In the second round of the 2023 playoffs against theDenver Nuggets, the Suns lost the first two games to Denver, as Chris Paul suffered a groin injury in game 2.[110] The Suns came back to win the next two games at home without Chris Paul, as Devin Booker and Kevin Durant became the first duo in NBA playoff history to each record 35 points, five rebounds, and five assists in consecutive playoff games.[111] However, after dropping game 5 in Denver, Phoenix went on to lose the series to the Nuggets in six games, as they trailed by 30 points at halftime in an elimination game at home for the second straight season.[112] Following their series loss to the Nuggets, the Suns dismissed head coachMonty Williams after four seasons with the team. Williams finished his Phoenix tenure with a record of 194–115 (.628) in the regular season and 27–19 in the playoffs.[113] Subsequently, the Suns hiredFrank Vogel as their new head coach on June 6, 2023.[114]
On June 24, Phoenix acquired veteran guardBradley Beal from theWashington Wizards in a three-team deal also involving theIndiana Pacers, with the Suns sending Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, five future second-round picks, four future pick swaps and cash considerations to Washington and one future second-round pick to Indiana.[115] Just before the start of the regular season on September 27, the Suns tradedDeandre Ayton and rookieToumani Camara to thePortland Trail Blazers in a three-way deal that sent 7-time All-Star Trail Blazers guardDamian Lillard to theMilwaukee Bucks, in exchange for Milwaukee shooting guardGrayson Allen and Portland centerJusuf Nurkić.[116] After starting the2023–24 season with multiple injuries and a 14–15 record, the Suns went 35–18 the remainder of the season and were one of five teams to rank in the top 10 offensively and defensively during that span.[117] They finished with a 49–33 record, securing the sixth seed in the2024 NBA playoffs and clinching their fourth consecutive playoff appearance.[118] However, they were promptly swept in the first round by theMinnesota Timberwolves, marking the first time the Suns were swept in a playoff series in 25 years. On May 9, 2024, Vogel was fired after one season with Phoenix.[119] Two days later, the Suns hiredMike Budenholzer, who previously coached theMilwaukee Bucks and defeated the Suns in the2021 NBA Finals, as their 22nd head coach in team history.[120]
The Suns played at theArizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum from 1968 until 1992. In 1992, they moved to thePHX Arena, which at the time was called the America West Arena and referred to as "The Purple Palace". Although not without controversy, eventually the Phoenix City Council and the Suns Organization together completed renovation on the arena in 2021.[121]
After the NBA had awarded a franchise to the Phoenix metropolitan area in 1968, local designers chose purple and orange as the main colors for the Phoenix Suns' uniforms. The original uniforms featured a futuristic "Phoenix" wordmark in front plus block numbers and letters in orange with purple and white trim. An orange sunburst logo was added on the sides of the shorts.[122]
The Suns tweaked their uniforms for the 1973–74 season. Other than the basic template itself, only the lettering and numbers were changed from the original uniforms. The "Phoenix" wordmark and numbers were modified to a Western-style font, with a few changes to the treatment of the player's name at the back.[122]
In time for the move to the America West Arena for the 1992–93 season, the Suns overhauled their look. The home white and road purple uniforms now feature the "Streaking Sun" logo in the chest with "Suns" on top and the number at the bottom. The shorts feature the word "Phoenix" in orange letters written diagonally on the left leg. Prior to the 1994–95 season, the Suns introduced a black alternate uniform featuring the same template.[122]
Before the 2000–01 season, the Suns changed to a more simplistic uniform style. The home white uniform had the word "Suns", the numbers in purple with orange trim, and purple side stripes. The road purple uniform had the word "Phoenix" and the numbers in white with orange trim along with grey side stripes. An orange alternate uniform, with the abbreviation "PHX" and the numbers in white with purple trim along with grey side stripes, arrived prior to the 2003–04 season. All three uniforms featured the updated "Streaking Sun" alternate logo on the stripes while the players' numbers were seen on the left leg until the 2005–06 season.[122]
The Suns overhauled their uniforms anew prior to the 2013–14 season. The look was inspired from their previous uniform designs. The home white uniforms featured "Suns" in orange with black trim along with black numbers, orange streaks and grey and orange sunbursts. The purple road uniforms featured "Phoenix" in white with orange trim along with orange numbers, white streaks and black, grey and orange sunbursts. The orange alternate uniforms (sleeved from 2013 to 2015; sleeveless from 2015 to 2017) featured "Suns" in white with black trim along with black numbers, white streaks and black and dark orange sunbursts.[122]
During the 2014–15 season, the Suns added a grey-sleeved alternate uniform. The uniform has "Phoenix" and the numbers in black with orange trim. The "Phoenix" wordmark was a callback to the "Western" look of the 1970s and 1980s.[123] A black alternate uniform was also added prior to the 2015–16 season. The black uniforms featured "PHX" in black with white trim along with white numbers and purple and orange trim.[124]
When the NBA switched toNike beginning with the 2017–18 season, the Suns drastically revamped their uniforms. Gone was the modernized "Streaking Sun" and the sunburst of the previous uniforms, and the Suns returned to a more simplified design. Purple also returned as a prominent color. The home-and-away designations were eliminated and in its place were the white "Association" uniform, the primary color "Icon" uniform, the secondary color "Statement" uniform and the annual "City" uniform.
The Suns' "Association" uniforms featured "Suns" in orange and the numbers in purple. The purple "Icon" uniforms featured "Phoenix" in grey and the numbers in orange. The black "Statement" uniform featured "PHX" in grey and the numbers in orange. All three uniforms have the "Streaking Sun" logo on the beltline.[125]
Starting with the 2019–20 season, the Suns replaced the black uniform with a new orange uniform, featuring the "Streaking Sun" logo in front, the numbers in white, and the "PHX" abbreviation on the beltline.[126] They wore the orange "Statement" uniform until the 2021–22 season, after which the Suns released a black "Statement" uniform with design elements inspired by the popular "City" uniforms worn in the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons (see below).[127]
In the 2023–24 season, the Suns updated their purple "Icon" and white "Association" uniforms, revisiting the 1990s "Streaking Sun" look. The set featured the "Suns" wordmark inside the "Streaking Sun" instead of above the logo unlike its 1990s predecessors. Grey accents were eliminated, and orange drop shadows on the numbers were added.[128][129]
The Suns started wearing special "Noche Latina" uniforms in 2007 to commemorate the Latin American fanbase. The 2007 edition used the home white uniform template with the flag of Latin American countries substituting for the orange stripes. Starting in 2008, the Suns began to wear a modified version of their orange alternate uniforms with "Los Suns" in front, which they kept until 2013.[130]
During the2010 NBA playoffs, the Suns wore their "Los Suns" uniforms onCinco de Mayo for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against theSan Antonio Spurs. Sports reporterDave Zirin called the "Los Suns" action an "unprecedented political statement by a sports team."[131] The move was also widely reported to be a protest of anArizona illegal-immigration law enacted in April.
After the 2013 rebrand, the Suns wore a black sleeved uniform with "Los Suns" in white with orange trim along with Latin-inspired accents at the back. This lasted only one season, however, as the Suns introduced a modified version of their purple uniforms in 2015, albeit with "Los Suns" in place of "Phoenix". This version lasted until 2017.[132]
For 2018, Nike added a fourth uniform option, the "City" uniform. The Suns used the occasion to unveil a new version of the "Los Suns" uniform, albeit using only purple, grey and white. Unlike in previous years where the "Los Suns" uniform was worn only during the month of March, this uniform was first used during the month of January.[133] For 2019, the "Los Suns" uniform added orange trim on the letters and stylized black piping while moving the front numbers to the left chest. It also featured a recoloredArizona flag in Suns colors on the shorts and "SOMOS PHX" slogan above the uniform tag.[134] The 2020 version kept the same template albeit with black as the base color and purple as the trim color.[135]
The 2020–21 Nike NBA Suns City Edition artwork makes tribute to the Phoenix valley region. The uniform features a black base, and pixelated mountain view sunset with an inspired rainbow of yellow, orange, red and purple. The image is based on Camelback Mountain located in North Phoenix. Camelback Mountain is a geographical identifier of The Valley, which has been the nickname of the Phoenix valley for decades. The front of the uniform reads "The Valley" in custom script lettering across a sunset themed rainbow over Camelback Mountain.[136]
Even though the NBA commemorated the league's 75th anniversary by having teams release mashup designs of previous uniforms for the 2021–22 "City" edition, the Suns elected to keep their "The Valley" uniforms for another season.[137]
A Spanish-language edition ("El Valle") served as the "City" uniform in the 2023–24 season. The predominantly grey uniform with sunrise number gradients and purple stripes pay tribute to the city'sChicano fanbase.[138]
"The Valley"-themed "City" uniform returned for the 2024–25 season, incorporating the classic "Western" font the team used from 1973 to 1992, and was heavily based on the uniforms used in the1995 NBA All-Star Game held in Phoenix.[139]
The Suns went with aNative American motif for their 2022–23 "City" uniform, featuring a turquoise base, black letters, red trim, and indigenous art designs on the striping.[140]
Barring a brief, early attempt involving asunflower costume,[141] the Suns had no official mascot for the first 11 seasons of their existence. This changed when a messenger for Eastern Onion, asinging telegram service, delivered a telegram atVeterans Memorial Coliseum dressed as agorilla.[142] As he began to leave, Coliseum security suggested he do a few dances underneath the basket during a timeout. The fans loved it, as did the messenger, Henry Rojas, who kept coming to games until he was officially invited to be part of the team. Nicknamed "Go", the Gorilla has a fictional background story consisting of coming from the Banana Republic and earning an education at Furman University.[142]
As Rojas's announced retirement from the role following the 1987-88 NBA season, the Suns held open auditions and try-outs to find a new Gorilla.[143] FormerArizona State University national champion[143]gymnast Bob Woolf[144] immediately stood out with his more acrobatic,aerial take on the character, particularly impressing evaluators when he jumped off atrampoline onto a basketball hoop, pulled himself atop the raised fixture, and danced high above the rim.[143] Woolf took over the role, introducing the Gorilla's signatureslam dunk routines,backflips, andslapstick during games, such as running the stadium stairs to theRocky theme. He became the first NBA mascot to incorporateEvel Knievel-inspireddaredevilstunts like jumping through a ring of fire or being propelled to the hoop viacatapult or grapple wire.[144] He was also the first NBA mascot to ride aHarley-Davidson to courtside and integrate elaboratecomedy sketches with costumes and props in his routine.[144] The Gorilla soon became one of the most famous mascots in the NBA,[145] his popularity in the '90s resulting in his inclusion as ahidden character inNBA Jam.
The Suns Gorilla appeared onWWE Raw on March 17, 1998, where he was on the receiving end of a chokeslam and tombestone piledriver byKane.[146]
Woolf performed as the Gorilla until the 2005–06 season,[147] with Devin Nelson briefly taking over until end of the 2011–12 season, as Woolf then resumed the role to the present date. Rojas, the original telegram Gorilla, has since been involved in numerous charity projects.[141] Woolf prefers to keep his relative anonymity, sayingoff-camera in a 2014 feature forSportsCenter, "I don't want to be seen. I don't want to be known. I want the character to take center stage."[143]
"Go" was inducted into theMascot Hall of Fame in 2005 and still makes appearances with charities, schools, hospitals and local businesses.[142]
On television, Suns games not aired exclusively by one of the league's national television partners. They are carried on broadcast television byGray Television's Arizona's Family Sports network (which consists ofKPHE-LD in Phoenix, KAZF 32 in Flagstaff, KAZS 27 in Yuma, andKOLD-TV 13.5 in Tucson), or Phoenixindependent stationKTVK. Games are also carried on aover-the-top subscription streaming service known as Suns Live, in partnership withKiswe.[148][149]
The contract succeeds a previous agreement withregional sports network (RSN)Bally Sports Arizona (formerly Fox Sports Arizona), which first assumed rights to Suns home games in 2003,[150] and added exclusive rights to away games beginning in the 2011–12 season (away games had previously been carried byKUTP).[151] Suns ownerMat Ishbia stated that the agreements would give Suns fans "more options and access than they’ve ever had",[152][153] explaining in an interview that moving from the RSN model tofree-to-air television would help counter the trend ofcord cutting and increase the Suns' potential audience to three million households.[154]
The contract was initially blocked by a lawsuit by Bally Sports' parent company,Diamond Sports Group (which had recently filed forchapter 11 bankruptcy protection) in April 2023. Diamond accused the team of breaching its contract and bankruptcy law, stating that the team was making an "improper effort" to "change their broadcasting partner without permitting Diamond to exercise our contractual rights."[152][153][155] Diamond sued the Suns over the Gray agreement, and the contract was voided by the bankruptcy court in accordance with anautomatic stay. The stay did not impact a related agreement for rights to itsWNBA sister team, thePhoenix Mercury.[155][156] Diamond was ultimately allowed to exercise its right of first refusal, but did not make an offer before the deadline lapsed; as a result, the Suns' and Gray formalized the new broadcasting agreement on July 14, 2023.[157]
98.7 KMVP-FM serves as flagship station of the Suns Radio Network.Al McCoy served as the team's play-by-play announcer and "Voice of the Suns" from 1972 to 2023, making him the longest-tenured broadcaster in NBA history.[158] He was awarded the Curt Gowdy Media Award at the 2007Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and was inducted into the Suns'Ring of Honor in 2016.[11] The2021–22 season marked McCoy's 50th season with the team.[158] For 50 consecutive seasons (barring remote broadcasts due to COVID-19), Al McCoy was positioned at courtside, adjacent to the Suns' home bench, as recent as May 2022.[159] He stopped broadcasting road games in 2019 due to difficult vantage points at higher locations in other NBA arenas limiting his preferred style of descriptive play-by-play.[160] On October 2, 2022, his broadcast position was moved higher up in the arena, closer to theskybox-area of the Footprint Center.[161]Tim Kempton serves as analyst, while Jon Bloom handles play-by-play for road games not broadcast by McCoy.[162]
Television broadcasts formerly featured a simulcast of McCoy's radio commentary, but this was dropped in 2003 in favor of dedicated commentary teams for radio and television. Studio host Tom Leander initially served as the television play-by-play announcer.[150] As of the 2022–23 season, Kevin Ray and Leander split play-by-play duties, with either former SunEddie Johnson orAnn Meyers Drysdale oncolor.[163] Eddie Johnson has been the Suns TV analyst since 2000, paired initially with McCoy until the discontinuation of radio simulcasts.[164]
The Suns hold the draft rights to the following unsigned draft picks who have been playing outside the NBA. A drafted player, either an international draftee or a college draftee who is not signed by the team that drafted him, is allowed to sign with any non-NBA teams. In this case, the team retains the player's draft rights in the NBA until one year after the player's contract with the non-NBA team ends.[165] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams.
The 40th Anniversary Suns Team, selected by fans through an Internet vote, was unveiled on January 3, 2008. The same night the Suns defeated theSeattle SuperSonics, 104–96, to celebrate the team's 40th season. The Suns' inaugural game in 1968 was against the Sonics.
*Sam Garvin took on the role of interim team governor during the2022–23 NBA season, effectively taking on most ownership responsibilities forRobert Sarver while he served his season-long suspension in the NBA.Mat Ishbia officially took over the Suns andPhoenix Mercury on February 7, 2023.
*During the2018–19 NBA season, both James Jones and Trevor Bukstein were given the roles of interim general managers for the entirety of that season after Ryan McDonough was fired before the start of their regular season period at the time. After that season concluded, Jones was given the permanent general manager role while Bukstein was demoted back to his original position of assistant general manager for the Suns.
Ryan Reschcame out in 2022 while working as vice president of strategy and evaluation for the Phoenix Suns, making him the first openly gay person in league history to work basketball operations in an NBA front office.[172]
As a result of a recommendation by the Coachella Valley Recreation and Park District's Superintendent of Operations, Craig DeWitt, the NBA held its first outdoor exhibition basketball game on October 11, 2008. That stadium facility was built primarily for tennis tournaments and music concerts, and it can hold up to 15,000 fans. The Phoenix Suns lost the game to theDenver Nuggets. A second annual outdoor exhibition game was played on October 10, 2009, this time the Suns lost to theGolden State Warriors. On October 9, 2010, the Suns beat theDallas Mavericks in the third annual outdoor exhibition.
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